GoodNews recently accepted an unconventional yet decidedly human form of currency: gossip. At one of its Spanish stores, customers were offered free beverages in exchange for a bit of (over) sharing. Coffee for a rumor, matcha for a bit of gossip, and a coffee and cookie for anyone willing to divulge a personal secret.Gossip-for-beverages joins other initiatives the brand has playfully implemented to foster real-world social interaction at its locations in Barcelona, Paris, Madrid and Amsterdam. Earlier this year, for example, GoodNews launched a local book club, offered free drinks for joining a barista-led conga line and handed out drinks to customers who could get the next person in line to laugh at a joke they told.TREND BITEThe Spanish chain is tapping into a growing cultural pushback against digital perfection and algorithmic interactions. As AI-generated content saturates social media feeds, consumers increasingly seek authentic, messy human connections, and GoodNews appears to be positioning itself as a physical space for genuine human exchange. With digital fatigue setting in across demographics, brands can make their mark by sparking moments of emotional authenticity and unfiltered human connection.
